2nd Sikh War

2nd Sikh War
1848-49
Chronological list of Wars and Campaigns
Location: Punjab
Combatants:
East India Company	Sikh Empire
Result: British victory. Punjab annexed
Medals: Punjab Medal Clasps: Mooltan, Chilianwala, Goojerat
Links:
Category: 2nd Sikh War

	See our interactive map of 2nd Sikh War locations and routes on Google Maps

Also known as the 2nd Anglo-Sikh War or the Punjab Campaign.

Summary

The British Resident in Lahore sent officers to Multan to compel the local viceroy to pay increased taxes. The officers were murdered and this encouraged an uprising of rebellious troops against the Sikh Government. After some initial actions the British sent a substantial force under Sir Hugh Gough. Major battles atChillianwala and Gujerat led to the surrender of the Sikhs. The British annexed the Punjab and Raja Duleep Singh went into exile.

Army of the Punjab

Order of Battle at Ramnuggur
Commander in Chief: Maj-Gen Sir Hugh Gough

Cavalry Division
Brigadier-General Charles Cureton

• 1st Brigade: Brigadier Michael White

• HM 3rd Light Dragoons
• HM 14th Light Dragoons
• 5th Bengal Light Cavalry
• 8th Bengal Light Cavalry

• 2nd Brigade: Brigadier Pope

• HM 9th Lancers
• HM 14th Light Dragoons
• 1st Bengal Light Cavalry
• 6th Bengal Light Cavalry
  

1st Infantry Division
Lt-Gen Sir Walter Gilbert

• 1st Brigade: Brigadier Mountain

• HM 29th Foot
• 30th Bengal Native Infantry
• 56th Bengal Native Infantry

• 2nd Brigade: Brigadier Godby

• 2nd European Light Infantry
• 31st Bengal Native Infantry
• 70th Bengal Native Infantry

2nd Infantry Division
General Thackwell

• 1st Brigade: Brigadier Pennycuick

• HM 24th Foot
• 25th Bengal Native Infantry
• 45th Bengal Native Infantry

• 2nd Brigade: Brigadier Hoggan

• HM 61st Foot
• 6th Bengal Native Infantry
• 36th Bengal Native Infantry

• 3rd Brigade: Brigadier Nicholas Penny

• 15th Bengal Native Infantry
• 20th Bengal Native Infantry
• 69th Bengal Native Infantry
  

Artillery

• 6 horse batteries: Lane, Christie, Huish, Warner, Duncan and Fordyce.
• 3 field batteries: Dawes, Kenleside and Austin.
• 2 heavy batteries.

FIBIS resources

• "General Gilbert and the surrender of the Sikh Army" by Sarah Bilton FIBIS Journal Number 27 (Spring 2012), pages 14-22. For details of how to access this article see FIBIS Journals

Medals

Also see Medals and Medal Rolls

• Punjab Medal Wikipedia

External Links

Sikh Wars Heritage History
2nd Sikh War 1848-49 Wikipedia
2nd Anglo-Sikh War Sikhiwiki
Second Anglo Sikh War sikh-history.com
Chronology Google Books

Historical books online

• Narrative of the Second Sikh War, in 1848-49 with a detailed account of the Battles of Ramnugger, the Passage of the Chenab, Chillianwallah, Goojerat, etc. by Edward Joseph Thackwell, 2nd edition, revised with additions 1851 Google Books
• Commentaries on the Punjab Campaign, 1848-49. Including some additions to the history of the Second Sikh War, from original sources by J H Lawrence-Archer 1878 Archive.org
• The Sikhs and the Sikh Wars: The Rise, Conquest, and Annexation of the Punjab State by Charles Gough , Arthur Donald Innes 1897 Archive.org
• The First and Second Sikh Wars Compiled for the General Staff, India by Lieutenant Colonel R G Burton 94th Russell’s Infantry 1911 may be read online on the Digital Library of India website.

Contents, computer page 6-8 .Unfortunately the book is not complete. Missing text pages 129-130 and all the appendices, pages 131-148.

• Annals of India for the year 1848: An outline of the principal events which have occurred in the British dominions in India from 1. Jan. 1848 to the end of the second Seikh War in March 1849 by George Buist 1849 Google Books
• A Year on the Punjab Frontier in 1848-49 by Herbert B. Edwardes 1851 Google Books Volume 1, Volume 2
• Leaves from the journal of a subaltern during the campaign in the Punjaub Sept.1848 to March 1849 by Daniel Augustus Sandford, Ensign, 2nd Bengal (European) Light Infantry 1849 Google Books
• Extracts from letters to Mrs. Bamfield from her husband, during the second Seikh war ... also, the subsequent letters of her son 1854 Google Books. The author was Major Daniel Bamfield of the Bengal Army and his son Albert, both possibly of the 56th Bengal Native Infantry.
• Part 2: The Second Sikh War, 1848-49 — The Indian Mutiny, 1857 from "Memoir of Major-General Sir Henry Marion Durand, K.C.S.I., C.B., R.E." by Lieutenant C.R, Low, (late) Indian Navy, page 374 Colburn's United Service Magazine and Naval and Military Journal, 1871 Part 1 Google Books
• "Medical History of the 1st Bombay European Regiment (Fusiliers) during its Service in the Punjaub in 1848,1849, and 1850" by FS Arnott MD Surgeon of the Regiment, page 1 Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay Volume X 1849-1850 Google Books
• Barracks and battlefields in India; or, The experiences of a soldier of the 10th Foot (North Lincoln) in the Sikh wars and Sepoy Mutiny, edited by the Rev Caesar Caine 1891 is available to read online on the Digital Library of India website. The soldier was Thomas Malcolm. This book is also available on a restricted access basis, probably accessible by those in North America on the Hathi Trust Digital Library
• Gujrat District page 111 A list of inscriptions on Christian tombs or monuments in the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Kashmir and Afghanistan possessing historical or archaeological interest Part 1 by Miles Irving (1910) Hathi Trust Digital Library. Inscriptions of some of those who died in battle.
• Through the Sikh war: a tale of the conquest of the Punjaub by G. A. Henty 1902, first published 1893 Archive.org. An adventure story for younger readers.